Jobs And Diabetes :D

I found the most wonderful job interviewer in the world. And the reason I love her? There were no discrimination's :)


Before I went for my first ever interview, I was told "Unless they ask, don't tell them you have diabetes, let them see you work before they find out that you are diabetic". To me, having had diabetes for such a long time and not being treated any differently because of it, this seemed like a strange sentence, and not a sentence I liked. Why should they not want me just as much as anybody else? What right do they have to tell me I am any worse at doing a job simply because I am diabetic? I didn't think it was conceivable that any workplace would be like this, but I kept the advice in mind. But the issue of my diabetes came up, I told her it was well controlled and when it dropped etc (which I am more prone to doing than it going too high) it is easily sorted. But the change in the way she looked at me sealed the deal, and I knew then why I had been given that advice. 


Needless to say, I didn't get that job. It was a shame because everything else seemed to have gone well, she even said she could learn a lot from the way I look at life, me, the 17 year old girl!!! She complimented me on my personality and said I was very "bubbly". And I honestly think it was my diabetes that let me down.


Just recently though, I have had another interview (well, 2 interviews to be precise). I went in with the advice given to me firmly in my head, and then found myself being asked about it again. I came out this time and said, "will this impact whether I get the job or not?", she smiled at me and told me no, and that they had another diabetic working there, and that if I ever needed to sort my blood sugars out all I would need to do is tell someone, and then go and do it, no questions asked. And I got the job :D No discrimination there :)


Due to my first experience, I would say what I was told, dont tell them you are diabetic unless they ask, never lie, but if possible let them see you work before they find out that you have diabetes. It's a shame that it has to be that way, but all they are looking for is someone who can work well enough to generate some money for them, and if the person you are talking to doesn't have much experience of diabetes, then they may have misconceived ideas of it and of the way that you can work with it.  


You and I know, that being a diabetic does not have to be limiting. There are certain things that the government or whoever it is that decides this tells us we are not allowed to do, such as join the military, fly planes, teach people to drive cars, drive busses, (and in a way, though I hate to accept that we may have limits, I understand this, because it would be catastrophic if we were to have a low or go too high while we were doing these things and put others lives in danger because our bloods were clouding out thoughts and judgements) but the fact remains, that for the majority, we are no better or worse at performing than anyone else out there, and I want a non diabetic to read this, to read it and understand it. Its my pancreas that doesn't work, not my brain.


Keep Smiling :)
Love, Tutti-Frutti
xxx